MUSTAPA: No interference in State affairs

KELANTAN Pas is on its own when it comes to dealing with problems related to the State. That’s because Pas headquarters believes its State leaders are capable of handling problems independently. Party secretary-general Datuk Mustapa Ali said there was no need for interference in State affairs.

“The issues involved are local and the party headquarters has no power to interfere or touch on these issues,” he said.

“And we believe whatever happens in Kelantan will not affect the party at national level,” he added.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has opened a file on Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat’s “sponsored Haj” that he apparently rejected after it was highlighted in the media on Tuesday.

Nik Aziz, however, announced that he would accept sponsors to perform the Haj next year, adding that he would still perform the Haj with or without sponsors.

The media had reported Nik Aziz admitting that a certain party had sponsored him to the tune of RM65,000 with VVIP status to perform the Haj.

A week before that, MACC officers visited the office of his son-in-law Abdul Ariffahmi Abdul Rahman, who heads a State government-linked company, Kelantan MB Corporation (PMBK), and took several files.

The investigation into PMBK apparently began a day before Syed Azidi Syed Abdul Aziz, the corporation’s corporate relations officer was allegedly expelled for informing a Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblyman of malpractices in the company. The assemblyman then apparently informed theMACC.

However, Abdul Ariffami told the media that the expulsion was due to disciplinary problems. Many grassroot members see the non-interference of party headquarters, manned by fundamentalists, as a “cynical act” given Nik Aziz’s outbursts against party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa for the unity government proposal with BN. Nik Aziz had called for an extra-ordinary general assembly
(EGM) to have those supporting the unity government proposal expelled from the party.

The feud, according to some grassroots members began when “an unseen hand” from outside but within the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance wanted to gain control of the party.

The feud reached its peak when the group contested for important posts during the party election in April but failed in their attempt.

Following that, the group, closely aligned to Nik Aziz, managed to convince him of the danger of the unity government supporters in the party that could cause a break with PR.

However, the fundamentalists, with Abdul Hadi and Mustapa, held a seminar on the issue rather than an EGM which saw Nik Aziz’s intention buried.